LIHU‘E — The man accused of the attempted second-degree murder of a visitor was arraigned Tuesday in 5th Circuit Court. Justin Wynn Klein, 37, of Kilauea, appeared during a busy morning criminal calendar and entered a plea of not guilty
LIHU‘E — The man accused of the attempted second-degree murder of a visitor was arraigned Tuesday in 5th Circuit Court.
Justin Wynn Klein, 37, of Kilauea, appeared during a busy morning criminal calendar and entered a plea of not guilty to allegedly throwing a 31-year-old Japanese woman off of a cliff in the Kalalau Valley on Dec. 16, 2012. He remained a fugitive until his arrest Saturday at Lydgate Beach Park.
The victim, Azusa “Shita” Ino, from Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan, survived and spent several days in critical condition at Wilcox Memorial Hospital before returning to Japan with family. Klein is represented by State Public Defender Stephanie Sato. The court approved her request for a copy of prosecutor discovery evidence and for a bail study.
County First Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Kevin Takata will represent the state. He presented the indictment that was issued by a 5th Circuit grand jury on Dec. 27, and when Klein was still a fugitive.
The attempted second-degree murder charge alleges that Klein intentionally engaged in conduct that was a substantial step intended or known to cause death.
Judge Kathleen Watanabe set the trial date for Aug. 5. Klein is currently held on $1 million bail at Kaua‘i Community Correctional Center.
Klein’s sister, Jody Pearson of Georgia, said the arraignment brings to light the seriousness of the charges. She wants to believe her brother’s story — that the incident was a drug-induced accident against a woman he was dating.
“I hope what he told me was true,” she said. “I can’t imagine someone in my family is an attempted murderer, and thank God she did not die.”
Pearson said she characterizes herself as a private person, but felt compelled to share her brother’s story.
“(I usually) wouldn’t want to be in the media or make a statement,” she said. “I just felt that it would be an injustice if someone didn’t stand up and say that this was not some random tourist.”
• Tom LaVenture, staff writer, can be reached at 245-0424 or tlaventure@thegardenisland.com.
